Battle Hymn
by Grayecam
Summary: The war is on. Can Ginny and Draco survive? Sequel to Piano in the Dark. This story is complete!
1. Default Chapter

_a/n: Ok, here it is, hope no one is disappointed, it's not as intense as PITD, but Draco and Ginny have been together for a while, they're more comfortable with love now. As always, I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters in this story. The song at the end is sung by Five For Fighting._

Ginny stepped off the train and immediately craned her neck, surveying the station for a pale blond head and a pair of icy gray eyes. She could count the days since she'd last had even a glimpse of Draco. Eleven months, three weeks and six days. A long, long time.

Not spotting him right away, she stepped into the throng of people and made her way to baggage. As she pulled her cases from the pile, a silky voice said in her ear, "What's a pretty little princess like you doing getting her own bags?"

Struggling to keep a sarcastic tone to her voice she answered, "My knight seems to have forgotten me. I suppose I'll have to drag myself home like Cinderella, on foot."

"Well, at least you've still got both your shoes." The caustic reply was.

Unable to keep up the game any longer, Ginny turned around and threw her arms about the tall man in the gray uniform. He returned her embrace, whispering in her ear, "I've missed you luv."

"I've missed you too. Please tell me you have a room somewhere nearby." She said, running her hands over his shoulders.

"Why Princess! I'm scandalized! Are you offering me your pumpkin, already?" Draco replied, leering at her lecherously.

"Hey, I'll give you a lot more than my pumpkin if you'll just get me somewhere private." Ginny said, returning his leer full force.

"Well, there's an offer I don't get everyday." He laughed, taking her bags from her." Come m'lady. Your carriage awaits."

Later, as they lay together on the huge bed in the inn, having gone at it like bunnies, Draco asked her, "Ginny luv, what made you decide to come home? In your last letter you said you were going to stay for the specialized training. I wasn't expecting you for another six months. Not that I'm complaining, mind you, it had definitely been the longest year of my life. I never realized monogamy was so torturous."

Ginny smacked him on the arm. "Lout, you'd better have been practicing monogamy. If I hear any different..." she made a slashing motion across her throat.

"Oh, don't worry, if I hadn't been, you'd have been the first to know. I'm surrounded by your brothers. It's like a muggle song I heard recently. 'He's a Weasley, He's a Weasley, They're all Weasleys, wouldn't you like to be a Weasley too?' I've been afraid to check the mirror in the mornings, for fear my hair will have turned copper red!"

Ginny snorted. "You afraid of a mirror! I expect I'd sooner see pink flying elephants on the quidditch field than see you afraid to admire your lovely aristocratic face."

"Well, actually, Neville miscast a spell last week, but the elephants were more of a lavender hue.... but you haven't answered my question, luv."

"I couldn't stay away any longer Draco. I missed you. I missed my family. I missed home. I felt I'd almost forgotten what you looked like. I was going to stay, I really was. I'd signed up for all my classes and everything, but I woke up from the most awful nightmare where I couldn't remember the exact shade of your eyes, and I knew I had to come home. I booked passage the next day." Ginny said, frowning.

Sensing her distress, Draco wrapped his arm around her. "It's alright luv, I'm here, and my eyes are the same as they always were. See?" he said, batting his eyelashes madly at her.

Ginny laughed. "Yes, icy gray and full of evil!"

"Seriously though, "said Draco, seeing her relax a bit from his joking, "This won't affect your medi-witch certificate?"

"Not at all. I've already been certified for full medi-witch. I was only staying for some specialization courses. Actually, the head medi-wizard has arranged for me to take those by owl. He said that it would take a bit longer, but he didn't want to see me miss the opportunity."

"And I'm glad I didn't miss the opportunity to.... Um, see you...before we went back into the field." Draco said.

Ginny had actually come home a day early. When she had owled Draco and told him she would be on her way, Bill had been kind enough to give Draco a night's leave so he could see Ginny. No one besides him knew Ginny was home. Tomorrow she would travel on to the burrow with Draco, and he would return to duty. Somehow, Ginny didn't think her mother would approve if she knew Ginny spent the night with Draco.

"Is your unit on mission?" she asked, a little concerned.

"The whole division is, actually. We don't know anything about it yet, though. Dumbledore is meeting with us tomorrow to let us know exactly what we'll be doing." Said Draco.

Ginny sighed and laid her head on Draco's chest. She worried about him constantly when he was in the field. She would receive regular letters from him, at least twice a week, but twice, when he'd been out on assignment, the letters had stopped, once for a whole two months, and she'd nearly gone mad with fear for him.

"Anyway, lets not waste the time we have talking about the war. Are you hungry?" Draco asked.

"A little."

He rose and donned the black silk robe provided by the inn they were at. He snapped his fingers and a house elf appeared, seemingly from nowhere. Draco ordered food and then he disappeared into the bathroom. A few minutes later, Ginny heard him call to her.

"Ginny, come in here and see."

"See what?" she asked, rising from her comfy spot in the bed, donning an identical robe to his, and wandering into the marble bathroom.

When she came through the doorway, she stopped and smiled at the scene before her. There was Draco, surrounded by mountains of bubbles in a huge marble tub. "Join me?" he said.

Ginny slipped off her robe and climbed into the tub opposite Draco. "This is lovely." She said.

"Mmm, yes it is," he replied, slipping closer to Ginny. Suddenly, Ginny felt a hand moving up her leg. Then over her ribs, stopping momentarily to tease her breasts. The hand moved back down her stomach then, searching for that secret place in her. Ginny lay back in the tub as Draco slipped his fingers inside her, rubbing and stroking the walls of her womanhood.

Reaching out with her own hand, Ginny found a prize of her own. Draco gasped as she encircled him with her hand and began to stroke along with the rhythm of his fingers. Finally, with a desperate groan, he reached out and tugged her over the top of him, positioning her to take him inside.

The first thrust was earthshaking to Ginny. With a slow, easy motion, they began to rock together in the tub, bubbles and water overflowing with each movement. Suddenly, urgency took over. Faster and faster they moved together until a dam burst inside Ginny and she cried out Draco's name, over and over, and heard him return her cry a moment later.

Together they relaxed, Ginny lying prone on Draco's chest, which was heaving mightily.

"My God, how I've missed you Princess."

When they'd finally gotten out of tub, before their skin shriveled up like prunes, and returned to the bedroom, a table had been set up and was laden with fruit and cheese and wine, not to mention a variety of sweets.

As they sat and ate, Draco asked Ginny, "So luv, one thing we haven't really talked about... When do you want to get married?"

Ginny froze, with a grape half way to her mouth. "Goodness sake, take me by surprise why don't you? I wasn't expecting that at all."

"Well, I did ask, and you did say yes. I assumed the next logical step would be to set a date. Mother will want to throw a party, and I imagine Molly will want to start planning." Draco said, munching on a piece of Brie.

"Um, well, I don't know really. What did you have in mind?"

"Princess, as far as I'm concerned, we could run off right now and get it done without all the muss and fuss, although I doubt it would please anyone else. In fact, I'm not certain my mother would ever speak to either of us again. But I'm willing to risk it if that's what you want.' Draco said, looking at her. "But I thought all women wanted big lavish wedding. Don't you want your fairy tale?"

"I'd love to have a fairy tale wedding Draco, "Ginny said, "But I doubt Mum and Dad could afford anything remotely elaborate. The best we could do is a garden wedding in the backyard. What would your mum think of that?"

Draco took her hand from across the table. "I doubt she'd be too pleased. But that's not what's important here. It's what you want that's important. If you want to get married in your parent's backyard, we'll do it. If you want a big storybook wedding, we'll do that too. Don't worry about financing it; I'm quite sure my Mother would be delighted to help out. It's just her cup of tea."

"But Draco, how can she do that, I thought Lucius had cut you off?" Ginny asked.

Draco sat back and grinned. "He has. Thing is Princess, very few people know that while my father plays the role of head of the manor, he is bankrolled by the Black family inheritance. In other words, my mother holds the purse strings. She generally doesn't say much to my father about what he does. She let him cut me off without so much as a peep. Told me it would be good for me to earn my own way. But trust me when I say she will WANT to help out with this wedding, and my father won't be able to do a thing about it."

"Oh." Ginny didn't know what to say to the revelation that Draco had just made.

"And while I have you speechless, I have one more thing for you." Draco said, getting up and going to his cloak, hung over the back of a chair. He reached in his pocket for something, and then walked back to Ginny's chair.

As he knelt before her, Ginny said, "Draco, what are you do-"

He cut her off. "I love you Ginny Weasley. Will you marry me?" and then he took her hand and slipped a ring on it.

It had to be the loveliest thing Ginny had ever seen. It wasn't a diamond, it was an emerald. Large enough that it would have been gaudy, alone or in a different setting. But the oval shaped green stone was set into a band of gold and flanked on each side by an intricate pattern of tiny seed pearls and diamonds. It was stunning and Ginny couldn't do anything but look at it.

"It was my grandmother's. And her grandmother's. Mother gave it to me when I told her I'd asked you to marry me. I know it's not a diamond, but it would mean a lot to her if you'd wear it as an engagement ring."

"Draco, its absolutely breathtaking." She whispered. A tear made its way down her cheek as she gazed at it and then at him with a look that made him gasp as he saw the unbridled love in it. He still had trouble believing that this woman was really his. He didn't deserve even half of what she was worth but somehow she thought he was worthy of her love. And he'd reveled in the love she had given him from the very start of their relationship. She made him feel like a decent person. She made him want to be better. She made him live. Sometimes, when he took the time to ponder their relationship, he still muttered the words he'd said the first time they'd been together. 'Ginny Weasley loves me.' She looked up from her hand and saw the look in his eyes, and immediately her cognac colored eyes darkened with desire returned.

"No, you're the breathtaking one." He said as he swept her up and carried her back off to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Ginny woke the next morning and was disoriented for a moment. She was in a strange bed and there was an unfamiliar weight on her hip. Then she remembered where she was and who was in the bed snuggled up to her back. This was the first time, in all the years they'd been together that they'd actually slept in the same bed. She scrunched down under the covers and pressed her body closer into Draco's. She felt the hand on her hip slid up to cover her breast.

"Mmmm, what a good way to wake up." Murmured Draco, not opening his eyes.

She felt his mouth touch the back of her neck and she shivered as he found a sensitive spot there and began to administer his tongue to it. The hand abandoned the breast and slid down between her legs. It found the little knob of pleasure there and began to roll and tease it in it,s fingers.

"Draco!" Ginny gasped, rolling over on her back to face him.

"Yes?" he asked, running his tongue along the curve of her ear.

"Don't you think.... oh.... oh my.... don't you think we ought to...dear Lord.... oh never mind." She said, abandoning all thought as he took her nipple in his mouth and sucked.

Ginny grasped the bed sheet in both hands as she climaxed. Then, rolling Draco over on his back, she moved down his body to take him into her mouth. He sucked in his breath and plunged his hands into her hair, lightly pushing and pulling her head to help her towards the rhythm he desired. As she picked up the pace, he released her head and grabbed the bars of the headboard of the bed. As he exploded into her mouth he half shouted, "Oh my God, Ginny!"

Ginny sat up, looking down at Draco with a grin on her face.

"What exactly are you smirking at me like that for?" He asked, amused.

"That will give you something to think about while you're out in the field."

"Er, yes, it certainly will. You look awfully pleased with yourself, Princess."

"Do I? Well, it sort of an ego boost to know I can reduce you to a quivering heap!" Ginny said, glancing over at the mirror on the opposite wall. "Oh Draco, why didn't you tell me my hair was sticking straight up!"

Draco smirked at her this time. "I think you look rather cute, all tousled and messy."

Ginny clobbered him with a pillow and rolled off the bed. "Beat you to the shower!' she cried, bare feet padding over the carpet.

"Hey, you cheat!" he said, jumping up to run after her.

Needless to say, the steam in the bathroom wasn't all caused by hot water that morning.

Ginny and Draco arrived at the burrow that afternoon around two. Molly met them at the door and swept both of them into her plump arms.

"Ginny! Oh, I'm so glad you're home! And Draco! Goodness, don't they feed you in the field? Come on now, give me a hug." She cried.

Draco went willingly enough into Molly Weasley's arms. He loved his mother more than anything, but she wasn't very physically demonstrative with her affections and nothing could make you feel any better when you were blue than one of Molly Weasley's hugs. Draco definitely found himself feeling blue at the thought of leaving Ginny and leaving this comfy little cottage he had grown so familiar with in his teen years to go back to a tent in a cold field.

"Can you stay for dinner? Good, good! Then there will at least be three of us. Arthur's working tonight. He owled me earlier and said to tell Draco he wished him good luck on the mission, and Ginny he would see her tomorrow."

Ginny and Draco sat around the kitchen table as Molly cooked and chattered to them. After they ate, Draco rose to go. Ginny walked with him to the front porch.

Draco turned at the steps and gathered her to him. "I hate to let you go again Princess. I'm afraid it might be another year before I get to see you again."

"Mum said Bill owled her saying he was going to try to get you all Christmas leave, at least for one night." Ginny said, wrapping her arms around him and laying her head on one of his broad shoulders.

"Yes, I know, but I'm almost afraid to hope for such a thing. And Christmas is still five months off." He said, kissing the top of her head.

"Well, I suppose if we can go a year, we can go five months. Will you keep owling me though?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I will if I can. If we go across enemy lines though, it's not allowed. If an owl fell into the wrong hands carrying a letter from one of our side, it could mean the death of us all."

"Perhaps it won't be anything so dangerous." Ginny said, hopefully. She hugged him tighter, dreading to let go.

He put his hand under her chin and lifted up her face to his. He just looked at her for a moment, wanting to memorize every freckle, remember every laugh line around her eyes, and recall every sparkle in her brown eyes. "I love you Gin."

"I love you too." He released her finally and turned to go, but she called out softly, "Draco?"

"Yes, luv?" he asked, turning back.

"Please come home to me." She said.

Three days after Draco left, Ginny reported for her first day of work at St. Mungo's. Poppy Pomfrey herself had taken charge at the hospital. She met Ginny in her office.

"There's just so many coming to us injured now, Ginny. I must admit, I'm very glad you're here. We can use all the help we can get. I won't lie to you. It's hard work. We've been working double shifts just to keep up and it's only getting worse."

"Just show me where to start Madame Pomfrey." Ginny said, "And sign me up for as many double shifts as I can handle. There isn't anyone at home waiting for me right now except Mum and I intend to drag her up here to volunteer as soon as possible. She can't possibly know what sort of shape you are in here, or she'd have already been here."

So Ginny began to work, going from day to endless day. She was true to her word and coaxed Molly, who had been quietly going crazy at home to the hospital. Molly was in her element. There were people who needed her. She bustled down the corridors of the hospital day by day, reading to sick children, soothing distraught parents and loved ones, fetching drinks or snacks or just chatting with the seniors, and helping injured soldiers write letters to home. It made Ginny smile to see her mum hurrying down the hall to tend to some "urgent" task for someone.

Ginny herself, began to notice things that she thought she could improve. She approached Poppy Pomfrey one day with an idea she had.

"Madame Pomfrey, in Scotland, I took a class on muggle medicine. I think maybe we can help with some of these more stubborn physical wounds by using some of the things I learned."

And so, Ginny began to teach some of the other medi-witches and wizards about what she had learned, and they began to apply it with a greater degree of success than failure.

Another thing that developed started with a visit from Hermione. She had been staying with her parents since Ron had enlisted and on a trip to visit with Molly and Ginny she told Ginny about some research she'd been doing on the Cruciatus curse. She had some very interesting ideas and her's involved a mixture of muggle and magic medicine also.

Hermione stayed over that night and went with Ginny to St Mungo's the next morning. They presented Hermione's research and their ideas to Madame Pomfrey.

"Madame, if this works, it could seriously cut down on the metal damage to patients who have been under Cruciatus for extended periods!" exclaimed Ginny.

Madame Pomfrey considered. "On the whole, I don't trust muggle medicine that much. But you were right Ginny, about the physical wounds, and Hermione, I know how thorough you are. Let's do this. I'll give you a lab here Hermione, to continue your research and experiments. Ginny you can help her as much as you can. Let's see what sort of results the two of you can come up with."

Hermione went home for her things and returned to the burrow that night. Over the next few months, Ginny would finish her shift and go to the lab, where she and Hermione would put their heads close together over books and beakers, working to find a cure for the incurable.

The letters from Draco came twice a week like normal for a while. Occasionally Ginny would get one from Harry, Bill, or Charlie, or one of the twins as well. Percy even sent her one or two. Never from Ron though. It annoyed Ginny that even after all this time, Ron barely acknowledged her presence. Ron wrote to Hermione though, and Hermione said he asked about Ginny's welfare often.

Then suddenly, the letters didn't come. None for Hermione, none for Ginny, none for Molly, except when Arthur would send one from the ministry, where he practically lived these days. Padma and Parvati Patil, Fred and George's girlfriends, stopped by St Mungo's one day and Ginny took them to lunch.

"Gin, have you had any word from anyone? One of your brothers? I haven't had a letter from Fred in ages, and Parvati hasn't had any word from George either." Asked Padma, leaning across the table of the restaurant towards Ginny.

"No, nothing from anyone, Padma. Draco told me when he met me at the station when I came home that they were about to go out on assignment though. Warned me there might not be any letters." Replied Ginny.

"Yes, the twins said as much to us in the last letter we got from them, but it's been almost three months now. I'm so worried." Parvati exclaimed, looking close to tears.

Ginny looked at the two identical dark haired girls from across the table. It still amused her somewhat that Fred and George had chosen identical twins. It had started her seventh year at Hogwarts when the red haired twins had opened a second Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes in Hogsmeade. No one quite understood the attraction of the proper, serious witches to the two red headed jokesters, but it seemed to work. Ginny knew that both Fred and George intended to ask Padma and Patil to marry them as soon as this war was over and they had enough money to make a home for them.

Ginny patted Parvati's hand, trying to offer reassurance that she didn't feel herself. "Dad says he's had no word that anything's happened, and he assures Mum, Hermione, and I that no news is good news."

"I do hope you're right, Ginny." Said Parvati, sniffling a bit." By the way, we ran into Cho Chang the other day in Diagon Alley. She said Quidditch had been suspended. Too dangerous for crowds to gather for games with the Death eaters striking all over the place. We invited her to your parents for Christmas. We hope that's alright, but with her and Harry being such an item and all before they all left barracks, we thought he might like to see her."

Cho was the seeker for the Tornados. "I'm sure its perfectly fine, Parv. Penelope Clearwater, Percy's fiancée, and Luna Lovegood and Mrs. Longbottom, Neville's grandmum are coming too. Cho will be most welcome. It has to have been rough for her. I know she and Harry decided to suspend the relationship till after this was over. I think it was more his idea, than hers. He told me he didn't want her to become too attached. He's still half convinced he has to die to get rid of you-know-who."

"What rot! "said Padma, rolling her eyes." Harry's always been a bit too much of a Hero for his own good. Doesn't he realize that it doesn't matter now? Cho is already quite attached. If Fred tried to pull any of that rubbish on me, I'd hex him into next year!"

Ginny laughed. "Well, I've got to get back to work ladies. If I don't see you before, I'll see you in three weeks on Christmas Eve. Even if the boys don't make it home, we can at least be together."


	3. Chapter 3

The little house in the burrow was filled to the brim on Christmas Eve afternoon. Penelope Clearwater, Padma and Parvati Patil, and Cho Chang were currently decorating a tall tree with brightly colored ornaments in the parlor. Remus Lupin was standing atop a rickety ladder trying to put a sticking spell on the little fairy that didn't seem to be interested in sitting still atop the tree. They had all been surprised when he showed up at the door this morning along with Headmaster Dumbledore. Rumor had it that Lupin was involved in some secretive mission, and Dumbledore was directing the side of the light of course, from Hogwarts. Dumbledore had come in out of the snow and said, "Molly, Remus and I decided we needed a little Christmas Cheer. We hope you don't mind if we join you today."

Molly had been beside herself, assuring Dumbledore and Lupin they were welcome. Dumbledore was currently seated on the other side of the living room with Arthur Weasley, engaged in a game of wizard's chess.

Ginny, Hermione, Luna Lovegood, Poppy Pomfrey, and Molly were all currently in the kitchen, tending to Christmas Eve dinner. Mrs. Longbottom was supervising them. Pots and pans flew around the kitchen to the various workstations. Every so often, as Mrs. Longbottom assured someone they were doing something wrong, Molly would click her tongue in annoyance. Luna whispered to Ginny, "She's always like this. That's why I joined the hospital staff. I couldn't stand one more day of being home with her all day long." Luna and Neville had been married, in secret, just after Neville found out he was going into the field with Percy. Mrs. Longbottom had been most annoyed but when Luna's father had decided to cover the action for the paper in the field, she had insisted Luna come and live with her. Despite her bossiness, everyone was just too glad to be together to become angry or annoyed too much. They all had pretty much realized that there was little chance their men would be able to join them, so they took comfort in each other, knowing they were all in the same boat.

Later, as everyone was just about to sit down to dinner at the huge table that seemed to always have enough room, there was a loud popping noise in the foyer. Everyone froze, recognizing the noise, but not daring to hope it could be their loved one who had managed to make it for Christmas. A familiar voice called out, "Hello? Mum? Where is everyone?"

"Bill!" Molly Weasley cried, dashing out of the kitchen. Everyone followed, happy for Molly, and happy to see Bill, but hiding disappointment that it wasn't the one they were hoping for. Bill was standing in the living room, with Molly's plump arms wrapped around his neck. He looked up from her death grip and grinned.

"Why all the long faces? Aren't you all happy to see me?"

"Of course we are Bill!" said Ginny, trying to pry her mother off of her brother so she could hug him too.

"Well, that's a good thing, because I've brought presents for everyone!" He said, "Look what I have with me!"

And around the corner came a group of red haired young men, a black-headed man wearing glasses, a chubby brown haired one, and a tall lanky blond.

Hermione's face crumpled as she launched herself at Ron. "Oy, Hermione, why are you crying? You're supposed to be happy to see me!" he said as he held her.

Molly swooped in on Charlie and pulled him into a hug, never once letting go of her hold on Bill. "Mum, mum! You're choking me Mum!" said Charlie, laughing. Arthur stood close by, patting each boy on the back in turn, grinning like a madman.

Padma and Parvati had advanced on the twins and the four of them were in a huddle, arms around each other, and Ginny was momentarily amused once more, as she couldn't tell who was hugging whom.

Percy and Penelope had somehow made it to the couch and Penelope was quietly crying into Percy's shoulder.

Luna and Neville were hugging and Mrs. Longbottom seemed to have wrapped her arms around the both of them. The relief on her face was obvious. Ginny thought she wasn't quite as hard as she tried to make out.

Draco made his way through the crowd of couples to her. "Princess." He said, taking her hand to brush his lips across her knuckles.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Malfoy please. Now is not the time for polite decorum." Leaping up to wrap her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist she said, "I missed you." And promptly kissed him. He didn't object.

When Ginny finally let him come up for air, he said. "Wow! You did miss me didn't you?" and grinned at her.

"Prat!" she said, laughing. "I was so worried. I should have known. You think too much of yourself to let anything happen to you."

"Mmmm, yes, self preservation is high on the list." He said, still holding her, and leaning his forehead against hers. He turned his eyes to the side and said, "Hey. Look at that."

Harry and Cho were in a corner of the room quietly talking. The scene was absolutely touching as Harry looked down on Cho with obvious love in his eyes and took her hand in his. Cho reached out and touched his cheek, tears running down her own. Harry reached up and pushed at his glasses, something Ginny knew he did when he was nervous, and whispered something in her ear. Whatever it was, it made Cho very happy, as she suddenly grinned ear to ear and threw her arms around him.

"Guess I don't have to worry about him trapping you in a corner anymore." Draco said, wryly, finally letting Ginny back down on the floor.

"Shh, git. Its very sweet." Ginny said.

"Not as sweet as you luv." Draco said, nuzzling her neck. "Do you think we could go to your room?"

Before Ginny could answer, Dumbledore, who had been standing quietly to the side with Poppy Pomfrey and Remus Lupin, watching the reunion, spoke up. "Excuse me Molly, but isn't there dinner waiting on us. I'm betting these young men haven't had a home cooked meal in quite a while."

Several of them murmured agreement, Draco among them.

"I guess I should go ahead and tell you, we can only stay a few hours." Said Bill as they all sat down at the table, which amazingly had seemed to expand to have enough room for the unexpected guests." We're mid mission, and really shouldn't have come at all. I plan to be back in the field by midnight."

"So soon?"

"Must you Bill?"

"Can't you even stay the night?"

The objections came from several sources, Mrs. Longbottom, Padma Patil, and Luna. Ginny just glowered at her brother. He shrugged his shoulders, taking everyone at the table in his look. "Sorry folks. I did the best I could. As it is, Dean and Seamus are in charge, all alone out there, missing their families. And the ones below us in rank."

He glanced momentarily at Dumbledore. "We got very special permission to be here tonight. I don't intend to take advantage."

"Well, "said Molly Weasley. "In that case, we'll just have to speed things up a bit. After we eat, we'll go ahead and open presents, and then enjoy the little time we have."

The mood at the table was jovial. It was as if a weight had been lifted from everyone's shoulders, at just being able to see the young men, alive and well. And even if they were all about to go back out into danger, and possibly death, for this one moment, everyone was together and happy and loving each other.

"How's it going, out there, between all of you?" Ginny asked Draco.

As Draco stuffed his mouth with Christmas goose, he replied, "It,s ok.... This goose is wonderful Molly...what do you mean?"

Looking over at Ginny, it dawned on him what she was asking."Oh! You mean my getting along with everyone. Better than you'd expect actually. You'd be proud of me Princess. I have actually learned to get along with people. Even Potter."

Harry, overhearing, looked up from his plate. "Yes, if you call telling someone they're an idiot four times a day getting along!"

"I can't help it if my intellect surpasses yours Potter." Sneered Draco.

"And I can't help it if you're so enamored with yourself that it makes you a pompous ass, Malfoy!"

Ginny looked from one to the other; about to say something, when to her amazement, they both started laughing.

"It's alright Gin, really it is." Harry said. "We've all grown accustomed to Malfoy. I think he'd be sorely missed if he weren't around. Everyone needs someone to tell us how inadequate we are."

"Yes," replied Fred from the other end of the table. "And he's such a good test subject!"

Draco mumbled something about 'git twins and exploding toothpaste' and Ginny giggled.


	4. Chapter 4

After dinner, everyone gathered in the tiny but comfortable parlor. As Ginny helped her mother to organize and sort presents, and to bring down presents that had been left upstairs because they thought the boys wouldn't be here, she noticed Dumbledore and Lupin pull Bill aside to talk quietly. She watched as Bill nodded and went quietly around the room, whispering something in the ear of each Weasley brother, Harry, Neville, and Draco. One by one they trickled out of the parlor and on to the back porch. Arthur joined them last, after saying something calming to Molly when she mentioned the inappropriateness of talking strategy at Christmas when they only had a few hours together. The group of women, knowing what was going on, grew quiet. Just outside the Weasley's kitchen door, their men were plotting on how to best put their lives in danger once more. Ginny noticed Dumbledore's tall pointy hat on the table and reflected on something Draco had said to her long ago while they were both still at Hogwarts.

He'd told her that the side of the light's tactics weren't that much different than the Death eaters, the only thing that separated them was the fact that the light could claim that they were doing what they did with good intentions. Ginny had argued with him vehemently at the time, but she now found herself wondering just how close Draco had hit the mark. Suddenly there was Dumbledore on the doorstep on Christmas day, and then the boys had shown up, with Bill making it clear that it was with Dumbledore's special permission. Oh, it all certainly seemed like kindness on the surface but Ginny wondered if Dumbledore hadn't needed to have this special meeting with them if they'd have seen the boys this Christmas at all. Ginny shivered and put the thoughts out of her head. After all, it didn't matter why they were here, it was enough that they were, for however short a time it was.

When the men returned to the parlor, the festive mood was once again captured as presents were passed around and opened. Most of the gifts for the soldiers were practical items like boots and sweaters, cloaks and gloves, scarves and stationary, writing quills and bottles of ink, owl treats for payment to the military owls for sending and delivering letters, and hard candies that could be carried around in pockets and not take up room in packs and gear. The women gave gifts to each other, knowing the men wouldn't have been able to get anything for them in the field. Padma and Parvati has given Ginny a wonderful book on medical charms, and Hermione had gotten her a lovely set of blown glass beakers and test tubes.

"I'll be expecting you to bring those to the hospital with you." Hermione said, laughing. "I got them as much for me as I did for you."

This brought several questions from the others about what Hermione and Ginny were doing, and the two young women filled them in on their research.

"Muggle medicine?" Draco said, frowning at Ginny. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Draco, I thought you were past thinking muggles were evil and unworthy?" Hermione teased Draco, who much to Ron's dismay, were quite good friends.

"Just because I've reversed my view on them being evil, doesn't mean that I trust their intellect on things. I certainly don't want to be treated with any muggle medicine for anything. Do you?"

"You forget my parents are muggles. "Hermione reminded him." I have been treated with muggle medicine. And look, I'm not dead!"

"Maybe it's the genes, mudblood!" Draco said, grimacing.

"Maybe it's because I'm not a close minded ignorant cockroach!" said Hermione, hands on hips.

"Who are you calling cockroach, you frizzy haired know-it-all?" said Draco, glowering.

"If the shoe fits..." said Hermione, glowering back.

"Hey, "said Ginny, trying to defuse the situation, before Ron, who was slowly turning red, made it worse, "I thought you two were friends now?"

"We are," said Hermione, still giving Draco the evil eye. "If we weren't, I'd have hexed him by now!"

Draco raised an eyebrow, typical Draco style. "You couldn't throw a hex at the broad side of a Pyrenees snorkack."

"Actually, the snorkack is from the Alps, not the Pyrenees. That is, if you're referring to the crumpled horn variety." Said Luna.

Everyone in the room turned to look at Luna and there was a moment of silence. Then they all erupted into laughter. She looked a little confused as Neville hugged her, but smiled anyway.

The couples in the room dispersed shortly after that, each wanting a quiet moment or two with the ones they loved. Ginny and Draco found themselves in the garden, Ron and Hermione having taken over the room the girls shared, swinging on the swing they had so often shared in the summers past. Draco chanted a quick warming spell and they snuggled up together, watching Christmas fairies light up the night sky.

Draco buried his face into Ginny's hair and inhaled deeply. "I've missed you so, luv. It's been hard, without even letters to tell me what you've been up to."

Wrapping her arms around his waist she replied, "I've missed you too. I've been so afraid that each time they bring wounded into the hospital, you're going to be among them."

"We're as safe as anyone else is in the field. It's just the mental stress really, at this point that's getting to me. No letters, no contact with anyone other than the others in our division. No news of what's going on at home. I'd give anything for a piano." Draco sighed.

Ginny sat up. "Draco, I have something for you. I almost forgot it. I didn't want to give it to you earlier because I wanted a private moment." She stuck her hand in her pocket, pulling out a little wooden case.

Draco opened it up to see a small wooden and metal object. It was silver, with intricate scrollwork etched into the metal on the top and there were several holes on both sides. He took it out and examined it.

"It's called a harmonica." Said Ginny. "It's a muggle musical instrument that I found in Scotland. I heard a man playing it on the street one day and I knew you'd like it. I have a book here that explains how to use it."

Draco looked at the pamphlet Ginny gave him for a few moments and then cupped the harmonica in his hands and brought it to his mouth. He blew gingerly and a little note came out. After playing with it for a few moments, he managed to blow a little tune.

"I know it's not a piano, but I thought it'd be easier to carry around in your pocket. I knew you'd be going insane with no music." Ginny said. "Do you like it?"

Draco looked at her and said, "Its wonderful. I couldn't have asked for a better gift. You've given me my music back. It seems like you're always giving me back something. My music, my life. I just wish I could have gotten you something Gin."

Ginny smiled. "Write me a song. Just be safe Draco, and come back to me. It's the only present I want."

Draco blew into the little instrument again. He sighed. "You realize of course I'm going to have to eat my words to Hermione. Muggles aren't completely stupid if they can come up with a nifty little thing like this."

He grimaced in pain at the thought of telling Hermione she was right and Ginny laughed.

Not long after that, Bill interrupted the kissing that ensued. "Malfoy! Kindly take your hand out from under my sister's sweater! I swear, first I have to walk in and catch Hermione in her under things and now you two. I shudder to dream of what the twins are doing in the broom shed. My image of my younger siblings will never be the same! Sorry ole boy, but its time." He said, putting a hand on Draco's shoulder.

Ginny tightened her arms around Draco's neck for a moment. "Oh Bill, can't you all at least stay till morning?"

"Sorry sis. It's just not possible this time."

They walked back into the house together, where a tearful goodbye was already taking place. Arthur, Remus, and Madame Pomfrey shook everyone's hand. Hugs and kisses were passed all around, and Ginny found her way to each of her brothers in turn.

To Fred and George, who she hugged together she said, "Do be careful not to blow yourselves up boys."

To Percy she said, "Take care Perce. Don't let anyone get into trouble." As she hugged him tightly.

To Charlie she said, "Don't fall off a dragon or get yourself singed." And kissed his cheek.

To Bill she said, "Love you Bill. Take care of them all, and yourself." As she kissed him and tugged his ponytail.

She wrapped her arms around Harry and whispered in his ear, "Now that you've quit being stupid, make sure you come home safe to the poor girl, and the rest of us."

When she reached Ron he turned away. Hermione gave him a reproachful look and said "Ron."

"It's alright Hermione," said Ginny, going round to face Ron again. "Ron, I don't care if you never speak to me the rest of our lives, I love you. Be safe." And with that she wrapped her arms around the big red haired young man. For a moment he stiffened. Then suddenly he tugged Ginny into a bear hug. Neither said a word as they held each other for a moment, but when he released her, Ginny smiled.

Ginny hugged Neville and reminded him to take care of himself and then looked around for her blond haired lover.

"Don't forget how much I love you Princess." Draco said, when she made her way back to his arms.

"Don't forget how much I love you, Knight." She said, smiling back at him.

"Ah, the armor's slightly tarnished, but I'm getting there. "he said, leaning in to kiss her.

With final hugs and kisses, the men gathered together in the foyer and each took a hold of the portkey in the shape of a long staff that Bill had left in the corner by the doorway.

For a moment after they were gone, those left behind in the house looked at each other in silence. Then, Molly Weasley, with a trembling voice, said, "They're gone. They're all gone." And collapsed into a sobbing heap on the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

When Ginny went back to work after Christmas it seemed that the number of wounded became heavier everyday. "Are we losing Poppy, and everyone is afraid to tell us?" she asked Madame Pomfrey, who had finally insisted that she call her by her first name, since Ginny was no longer a student at Hogwarts.

"No, we're winning, but it's always darkest before the dawn, Ginny. I don't look for things to slow down anytime soon."

The biggest surprise came when Hermione announced about three months later that she was pregnant. Evidently, Ron's visit at Christmas for just a few hours had been more than enough.

"Isn't there some way you can get word to Ron, Arthur?" Molly asked on one of Arthur's rare nights at home.

"Molly, believe me, if I could, I would. It's just too dangerous. We'd be endangering the whole division if we dared send an owl. We want the boy to come home to see his child, don't we?" he said.

So Ginny and Molly offered all the love and support they could for Hermione as stomach grew and Ron remained blithely unaware that he was about to be a father.

One good thing happened though. Cho Chang, who had signed on to be a courier for the troops, and Ginny became friends. Things had always been awkward for the two of them. First Ginny had been besotted with Harry when Harry was besotted with Cho. Then Cho had become enamored of Harry the year that Harry had noticed Ginny was alive. It had all worked out fine in the end, Ginny had Draco now, and Harry and Cho had finally managed to get together, but things were still a bit tense for the two girls. Then one day, when Cho was picking up first aid supplies from the hospital to take to a division that was about to go out on mission, she and Ginny had run into each other.

"Cho! Good to see you! Here let me help you with all that." Taking some of the packages Cho was trying to balance in one hand while she attempted to tie another stack to the back of her broom with the other.

"Ginny, thanks. I guess they don't realize that a broom can only carry so much weight." Said Cho, gratefully.

"Cho, I don't mean to be nosy, but have you heard from Harry" Ginny asked.

"No, I haven't." said Cho, turning around to face Ginny. "Have you? Or from Draco or one of your brothers?"

"No, not a peep from anyone. Hermione either. I was hoping, with you being a courier that maybe you had some connections the rest of us didn't. We really need to get a message to Ron. Hermione is pregnant." Said Ginny to the dark haired girl.

"Pregnant! How wonderful! Oh how awful too, for Ron not to know! Oh Ginny, I wish I did have some connection to them. I'd tell you if I did. I know things have been... odd for the two of us but Harry thinks of all of you as family, and I'd really like to be friends." Cho said to Ginny.

Ginny smiled. "We consider Harry family too Cho. And I'd like to be friends too. What do you say we put the past behind us? After all, it looks like you'll be marrying into the family anyway, sooner or later!"

Cho leaned over her broomstick towards Ginny and said conspiringly. "Just between you and me, I intend it to be sooner than later, Harry Potter just doesn't know that yet!"

Ginny laughed and watched the other girl speed off on her broom.

About five months afterward, Ginny and Hermione were in the lab one day, eying a vial of green fluid.

"I can't think of anything else we could possibly do." Hermione said, hand on her rather large stomach.

"Me neither "replied Ginny. "If this isn't it, we'll never have it."

"There's only one thing left to do" said Hermione, looking at Ginny.

"Yes. We have to test it on a person." Said Ginny, nodding.

"But who?" asked Hermione.

"I don't know." Said Ginny. "We can't ask a patient to take our experiment. If it did something horrible, Poppy'd throw us both out on our ears."

"It worked fine on Felix." Said Hermione, eyeing the large black cat in the corner of the room.

A very mean little wizard had subjected Felix to the Cruciatus curse. By the time he had been caught, Felix was quite mad. That's what happened when someone was subjected to Cruciatus for extended lengths of time, or repeatedly. You went mad. That was why Neville Longbottom's parents had lived in the metal ward of the hospital for the last twenty years.

"There's only one thing to do." Said Hermione, determinedly. "One of us will have to take the potion."

"What good will that do?" asked Ginny. "We haven't had Cruciatus used on us."

"No, but Felix proves it works on the curse. We just need to be sure it doesn't kill people. Even if it doesn't have the same effects on people for the curse as it does on cats, nothing will have been lost. We just need to make sure it doesn't kill anyone." Decided Hermione, out loud.

"Nothing lost?" Ginny said indignantly. "Only months of research and sleepless nights in this lab."

"I'll take it." Hermione said, reaching for the vial.

Ginny snatched it out of her hand. "You most certainly will not! Hermione, really. What about the baby?"

"Well someone's got to take it! I didn't spend all this time in this lab with swollen ankles and an aching back for nothing!" said Hermione.

"I'll do it!" Ginny said and turned up the vial of green liquid to her mouth before she could change her mind.

The girls looked at each other.

"Well, I'm not dead. I don't feel funny. Do I look peculiar in any way Hermione?" Ginny asked after a moment or two.

"No," said Hermione. "We should both stay at the hospital tonight. So we can record any side effects you may have. And.... just in case."

A few days later, Ginny was standing in the reception area of the hospital, talking to the family of a patient. There was a loud popping sound and Ginny looked up from her clipboard and saw Severus Snape standing in the middle of the room, and at his feet was a bleeding unconscious Draco Malfoy.

"NURSE!" Ginny screamed, dropping her clipboard and running to the two men. Quickly a stretcher was hovered out and Draco was loaded on to it as Ginny examined him to find out where all the blood was coming from. Another nurse hustled along Professor Snape behind them.

Once they had gotten Draco onto the examining table, Ginny rolled him onto his stomach, as it seemed that he was bleeding from his back. She quickly cut away his shirt. Then she sucked in her breath. Draco's back was a mass of bloody meat, with no skin visible.

"They wouldn't stop with the whip. I got him out just a soon as they turned their backs long enough. They would have killed him. I had to get him out." Severus Snape said, then he quietly fainted.

Ginny stopped long enough to call for another nurse to get Snape up off the floor and into a bed, then she took out her wand and began to work. She chanted spell after spell, charm after charm, and mixed potion after potion. Madame Pomfrey came running when she heard and together the two of them worked through most of the afternoon, till Draco's back had been healed and the blood he lost magically started regenerating.

When Severus Snape awoke, he found Ginny standing over him, administering a spell to his arm. She smiled when she saw his eyes open and said, "Professor, glad to have you with us. In all the bloodiness of Draco's back, no one noticed your arm had been hurt. You should have said something. Did they hit you with a bone crusher?"

"Yes, I believe so." Snape said, looking over at Draco in the bed next to him, still unconscious. "Is Malfoy going to live?"

Ginny smiled, glancing over at Draco's sleeping form. "Yes he is. He's lost a lot of blood, and his back is going to hurt for quite a while, but he'll live. Thanks to you."

"The imbecile! He managed to bungle his way into getting captured. Zabini had no intention of letting him go. If I hadn't been afraid they were going to kill him, I'd have left him to rot."

"Yes, Professor." Ginny said, mocking seriousness. She grinned at Snape.

"Miss Weasley, I am compelled to ask. Why is it that you seem to... like ....me, despite the fact that most of your fellow students and friends think of me. ...Unkindly." Snape asked, watching her closely.

"Perhaps Professor, you remind me of someone else." Ginny said, glancing once again at Draco. "Someone who just needs someone to love him as he is. Someone whose bark is much worse than their bite."

"I assure you Miss Weasley, my bite is just as vicious as my bark." Said Snape, looking affronted.

Ginny grinned at him again, causing him to snort. "Yes Professor."

"Let me ask you a question now, Professor." Ginny said, as she finished her administrations to Snape's arm. "Why do you seem to like him?" She nodded towards the sleeping blond. "Most folks see him as a nasty little ferret. What do you see?"

Snape looked over at the young man. "He reminds me of someone else too Miss Weasley. Someone I knew a long time ago."


	6. Chapter 6

Ginny awoke from her place next to Draco's bed to someone singing softly. Opening her eyes, she realized it was Draco. He was singing some little war ditty and his voice was mellow and, Ginny thought, rather sexy. She felt his hand run through her tangle of red curls as he smiled down at her.

"I'm sorry Princess. I didn't mean to wake you." He said.

"How do you feel?" Ginny asked, raising her head from her arms off the side of his bed to look closely at his eyes and then her watch as she took his pulse.

"Very sore." He said, wincing as she pulled him into an upright position so she could have a look at his back.

"I'll bet. I'm afraid you're going to have scars. Madame Pomfrey and I did the best we could, but some of these marks looked as though they'd been there for a while." Ginny said, frowning at the mass of red welts on his back.

"Three days." Draco said, quietly.

"THREE DAYS?" Ginny exclaimed. "You were captured for three days? They...they.... BEAT you for three days?"

"It's alright Gin. Snape got me out." Draco said, seeing the growing alarm on her face.

"Oh, Draco, you just don't understand how close you cut it. It took Poppy and I all afternoon, and ALL our magic, you'd lost so much blood. We weren't sure you'd recover in time. And you've been under Cruciatus too, haven't you? I can see all the signs. Do you know how lucky you are not to be drooling and incomprehensible?" Ginny exclaimed. Her lip trembled and her voice began to quaver towards the end of her tirade.

Draco could see what was coming. "Its alright Princess. I'm alive."

Ginny felt the dam that had been holding back the flood of tears give way and she threw her arms around Draco, sobbing. "I was so afraid. I was so bloody afraid I'd lost you."

Draco held onto Ginny as she cried and tried to soothe her. There had been times in the past like this. Times when he was almost grateful that Ginny was so upset because he could concentrate on her and trying to set her mind at ease, and ignore how afraid he was himself. It had been the most horrifying three days of his life, and if it were not for the red haired woman clinging to him right now, he might break into sobs himself.

Somehow Ginny found herself lying on the narrow hospital bed next to Draco, wound up in his embrace. When the flow of tears finally ran itself out, he kissed away the wetness on her cheeks.

"I don't know how I'd go on Draco, if something happened to you." She said, amid his butterfly kisses.

"I wouldn't leave you all alone. You're what kept me going, those three days. My red haired Princess." He whispered in her ear before he ran his tongue along the edge of it.

Draco moved over the top of Ginny. She sighed as she felt his comforting weight holding her down on the bed. As he captured her lips with his, Ginny felt a furious desperation growing inside her. She had nearly lost this man and it made her both afraid and angry. Their tongues twined together in a dance of passion. He ran his hands down her body, doing away with her clothes as he went, along with the few he had on.

As he settled himself between her legs, he said, "Look at me Ginny. I want to see us in your eyes. I want you to see us in mine."

Ginny's eyes snapped open as he entered her in one powerful thrust. The pace mounted quickly as Ginny felt herself move towards a prepice of emotion. She could see Draco was moving there with her as his thrusts became more and more frenzied, her hips rising to meet him with each one. When she heard him moan it was the last push she needed. In her mind she felt Draco take her hand and they plunged over the edge together.

Draco collapsed onto her, exhausted. Ginny savored his weight for a few moments, then carefully eased out from under him, gathering her clothes off the floor and padding to the bathroom adjoining his room. When she came out, she found him nearly asleep. He smiled drowsily at her and lifted the edge of the blanket, inviting her back to join him.

She smiled at him and shook her head. "Nuh uh. I have to go make rounds. You aren't my only patient you know."

"Rounds? It's the middle of the night!" Draco complained through a yawn.

Ginny grinned at him and stroked the side of his face as she planted a peck on his lips. "Yes, I know. I should have done it hours ago. Go to sleep. We shouldn't have done that so soon. I've worn you out."

"Just the medicine I needed, "Draco said, giving her a wolfish grin. "Will you come back when you've done your rounds and sleep here with me?"

"Draco, I doubt I'll be sleeping anymore tonight. We've all been working double shifts here, trying to keep up with the wounded coming in. Poppy must have been covering for me all this time. But I will come back, when I can."

He nodded and closed his eyes as she slipped out the door.

Later that morning, Draco awoke to the door opening. He smiled, expecting it to be Ginny, back from her rounds but it wasn't her. Instead he saw Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape standing in his doorway.

"May we enter, Mr. Malfoy?" Asked Dumbledore.

"Of course Headmaster." Draco said, sitting up quickly.

"You and I and Professor Snape need to talk about what happened and about what's going to happen now, Mr. Malfoy." Said Dumbledore, settling into the chair next to Draco's bed. Snape sat down in one a little further away.

"Professor Snape, "started Draco." I owe you a great debt. I can't tell you how grateful I am that you risked your life to get me out of there."

"You owe me nothing Mr. Malfoy. We all do what we must. "Said Snape.

"Severus, I assume they are aware now that you were undercover?" asked Dumbledore, looking at Snape.

"Yes sir. I'm afraid Malfoy's bungling into capture caused me to expose myself. I couldn't get a moment alone with him, so I was forced into snatching him when they had their backs turned, literally. My cover is surely blown, but perhaps I can take some polyjuice potion, assume another identity and go back in. I have learned a lot, but I am sure there is much more." Said Snape.

"No Severus, you have done all you could there. I would not risk your life again by sending you back. There are other things for you to do now." He said, steepling his hands before his face. Then he turned to Draco and said, "Mr. Malfoy, there has been some recent news come to my ears that I think you can help with. But I fear what I have to tell you will also disturb you greatly."

"Just tell me what I can do to help sir." Draco said.

"We have word that what's left of Voldemort's army is converging on one area. It's the area your division is in. We believe that he has learned where Harry Potter is, and is intent on disposing of him. I believe Voldemort believes this will ensure victory for him. "Said Dumbledore.

"What can I do to help sir? I'll be glad to go back into the field with my unit, just as soon as they release me." Said Draco.

"Wait Mr. Malfoy. You haven't heard all I have to say yet. When you do, you may want to reconsider your offer. And let me say, no one will blame you or look down on you if you do. You've been quite seriously injured according to Poppy and that alone is enough to discharge you from further service-"

"Sir." Interrupted Draco." I will go back. I'm fine. Ginny said I'll heal except for a few scars. I'm not afraid to go back." He ruefully thought of the drowsy daydreams that he'd been having earlier about the medical discharge and marrying Ginny, going back to the magicians' orchestra, and settling down.

"Even if I told you it was your father leading Voldemort's army, Draco?" Dumbledore asked softly, looking hard at Draco.

Draco was taken aback. "My father?" he whispered.

"I won't deny we need you Mr. Malfoy. No one could possibly determine what Lucius's plans will be better than you. I am aware he trained you for most of your life to think like him. It was a great worry and distress for me, but now, if you decide to continue to fight, I find that the very thing I worried over could cement the end of this war for us." Said Dumbledore.

Snape had remained silent through all this. Now he rose from his chair and leaned in close to Draco.

"Do not falter boy!" he hissed at him. "You know what you need to do. Do not let bad blood lead you away from your chosen path. He is your father, but that does not make him right. What is it YOU want?"

Draco's head snapped around to glare at Snape. Not dropping his gaze from Snape's stare, he replied to Dumbledore. "I'll go back sir. No one knows Lucius Malfoy better than I do. Just as soon as you can get me out of here."

"Good, good. "Dumbledore said, patting Draco's hand. "I'll see to it. We shall leave within the hour. I assume you'd like to speak to Miss Weasley before you go, Mr. Malfoy? Yes? I believe she's in with Madame Pomfrey. I'll let her know you would like to see her."

Dumbledore and Snape walked to the door. Dumbledore hurried out but Snape turned to look at Draco one last time. The two men gazed at each other, both seeming to understand one another in some way. Then Snape nodded and hurried from the room.


	7. Chapter 7

While Dumbledore and Snape were in with Draco, Ginny was making her way to Poppy Pomfrey's office. "Poppy? You wanted to see me?" she said, gliding into the office.

Poppy Pomfrey looked up from the papers on her desk. "Yes Ginny. Please sit down."

"I've had a talk with Albus Dumbledore this morning. Some things are going to have to change both here in the hospital and in the field. We're losing too many good wizards and witches. Ginny, I need your help." Poppy said, leaning over her desk towards Ginny as she talked.

"Just tell me what I can do Poppy." Ginny replied. "Do you need me to work extra shifts? I've been working Doubles most days now, but I can always move some things into one of the overnight stations and just stay here. Would that help?"

"I'm afraid it's not going to be enough. It's about timing. We're losing patients we would not have lost if they'd gotten here sooner. You commented on it yourself the other day. It's just impossible for the people in the field to get them to us any quicker. They can't just stop fighting to transport a wounded soldier in the middle of battle. And most of the ones we're losing are too injured to apparate or work a portkey themselves." Said Poppy, rubbing her temples. "If we could get to them quicker, we could cut fatalities in half at least."

"Well what can we do?" asked Ginny "You just said yourself that those who could transport them here can't just stop and do it immediately. It's an impossible situation."

"No, its not." Replied Poppy. "In fact, Albus and I have come up with a way to solve the problem. That's where you and a few others come in."

"Well, tell me!" exclaimed Ginny.

"We're going to put a medical team in the field." Said Poppy Pomfrey, looking pleased. "It will solve everything. There will be someone right there, when people get injured. We can save so many more lives. Of course there is a danger in going out into the field. You could lose your own life trying to save others. I don't think the Death eaters are going to take the time to distinguish between the soldiers and the medi-witches and wizards. In fact, even if they did, I don't think it would matter to them."

"Are you planning on leading this medical team Poppy?" asked Ginny.

"No, "Poppy shook her head. "I wanted to but Dumbledore said no. He said that someone had to run the hospital, and he didn't trust anyone but me to do it. Besides, he thinks I'd be more interested in fighting than healing, and he's probably right. I wouldn't be able to help myself. He let me decide whom to choose to lead it. I chose you Ginny."

"ME? Poppy, I don't know. I've never been in charge before." Said Ginny.

"There's no better choice. You're very good Ginny, and everyone loves and respects you. You also have a knack for improvisation in a pinch. You've been open to and made ideas work that even I wouldn't have tried. You don't panic in the face of stress either. You proved that yesterday when Draco came in.," said Poppy.

"You just didn't see me fall apart this morning, after he woke up finally, "said Ginny.

"Ginny, think of the lives you could save. Think of the people you love out there right now that might need someone right away. And you could be there."

Ginny slouched in the chair, thinking over what Poppy was saying to her. If something happened to one of her brothers, she'd be able to see to it they got immediate attention. She'd be contributing in a very real way to the war effort. The more soldiers who got up to fight again, the quicker this could end. Of course, everyone was going to be very unhappy when she told them. None of the boys would like it. Oh, how would she ever tell Draco, with him just injured and ready for discharge, that she was now going into the field?

"Ginny, "said Poppy, looking intently at her. "I'll quite understand if you refuse. You will be in a lot of danger out there. But I'm not going to gloss it over for you. We really need you to say yes."

Ginny looked up from her daze. "Oh, I'll do it Poppy. You should have known I'd say yes. I was just thinking of how I'm going to tell the several men in my life. There is going to be quite a few unhappy red heads and one very unhappy blond when they hear this."

"Would you like me to explain it to them? I'd be happy to make them understand how necessary this is," said Poppy.

"Oh, no. They'll have to just deal with it. I'm a big girl, and I want to help however I can. For their sake as well as mine." Said Ginny.

Ginny and Poppy talked for a while longer, about how the divisions were about to merge into one area, in anticipation of the big battle Dumbledore was expecting. The medical unit would do some light auror training and then they would join them.

As they had almost finished working out the details, there was a light knock at the door, and Albus Dumbledore stuck his head in the room. "Poppy, I trust you've worked out all the details?"

"Yes, Headmaster, Miss Weasley has agreed. She and I were just going over a list of supplies they will need to carry with them. "Said Poppy.

"Good, good. Miss Weasley, I think Mr. Malfoy would like to speak to you if you have a moment." He said, looking at Ginny.

"Yes, sir." Said Ginny, wondering what Dumbledore had been speaking to Draco about.

As she slid past Dumbledore to exit the office, he put a hand to her arm and said, "We're glad to have you with us in the field Miss Weasley. Hopefully it won't be too long before we can all go home. Please remember that's what we're all working for. What ever gets us home the fastest."

"Yes sir." Said Ginny wondering what in the world he was talking about.

When Ginny entered Draco's room, he was up putting on his clothes. He winced as he pulled a shirt on over his back.

"What are you doing?" Ginny exclaimed from where she had stopped in the doorway, taking in the scene.

"I'm getting dressed Princess. The other medi-witch said I could go." He said, pulling on his pants now.

"Who? Who said you could go? You need to stay another night at least, to be sure the scars don't break open again." Said Ginny trying to take the belt he was about to lace through the loops of his pants away from him.

He tugged at the belt. "Headmaster Dumbledore may have leaned on her a bit."

"But why? Why, Draco? What does it matter when you leave to Dumbledore? You're eligible for discharge now, you don't have to go back out in the field." Ginny stopped and suddenly released the belt, remembering what news she had to break to Draco.

When Ginny suddenly let go of the belt, Draco fell backwards onto the bed. "Ouch!" When he saw her face, he knew there was something going on. "What? What is it?"

"I have to tell you something." Ginny said, flopping into a chair. "You better stop and sit down a minute."

"I don't like the sound of that." Draco said frowning as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"You're not going to like it much, I imagine." She said, taking a deep breath. "I'm going to be leading a new medical unit."

"Well that doesn't sound so ba-"

"In the field." She finished.

Draco's eyes narrowed as he stared at her. "What do you mean, in the field?"

"I mean Poppy and I decided that we're losing too many soldiers because they can't receive medical attention promptly. So I'm going to take a medical unit into the field with them. So we can be there, during the battles.... to save lives."

Draco's eyes widened as he took in the meaning of her words. "Ginny, you can't be serious! Do you have any idea what it,s like out there? You can't do it! It's absolutely the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of. You can't possibly take care of yourself out there!"

"I most certainly can take care of myself. And take care of the wounded too. I'm a medi-witch, Draco. I can't stand idly by here at this hospital, all safe and sound, while soldiers are out there dying because I'm not willing to put my life on the line to save them." She said, raising her voice a bit.

"It simply isn't a good idea. Let me finish dressing. I'll go talk to Poppy Pomfrey myself. Once she sees what a foolish notion this is, she'll change her mind." He said, beginning to pull on his boots.

"No she won't." said Ginny. "She's already discussed it with Dumbledore. He agrees."

Draco's head snapped up. "Dumbledore? And he didn't mention anything at all about it when he asked me-"

"When he asked you what?" Ginny said, looking a Draco with a narrowed eyed look similar to the one he had leveled at her moments ago.

Draco busied himself pulling on his other boot. Softly he said, "He asked me to go back."

"Go back where?" asked Ginny rising from her chair slowly. She didn't like where this conversation was headed.

He looked up at her. "He asked me to go back to the field. I told him I would. I have to."

"You do NOT have to!" Ginny cried. "Haven't you done enough? You nearly died Draco. The war is over for you. You're conscience should be clear. No more!"

"My father is leading Voldemort's army, Ginny." He said, his voice begging her to understand. "I have to go back. No one can figure out what he's planning better than me. I've been molded to think like him since the day I was born."

"Stop whining! You know I hate that!" she snapped. "And you do not think like him. If you did, you'd be on the other side of this war right now."

"He's my father, Ginny! I can't help but shoulder some of the responsibility if he kills more people and I didn't at least try to help!" he shouted.

"YOU are not your father!" she shouted back. "Go tell Dumbledore you changed your mind. Tell him you can't help him!"

"I'm going Ginny." He said.

Ginny paced the room, ranting. "I can't believe I was so worried over how angry you were going to be when I told you I was going out into the field. I was actually afraid to tell you. And now.... now THIS? At least I'll be there if you rip your scars open again, I guess."

"No." he said.

Ginny turned to stare at him. "What do you mean No? No what?"

"I mean no. You can't go. I won't allow it." He said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"YOU WON"T ALLOW IT?" Ginny shouted. "You don't tell me what I may and may not do Draco Malfoy! Best you remember what happened to Ron Weasley last time he tried to 'not allow' me to do something! Who exactly do you think you are?"

"I think I have a right to say no, considering what you wear on your finger there." He said, gesturing to her left hand.

Ginny looked down at the large emerald on her finger. She tried to calm herself. She counted to ten, then looked at him and said softly. "I love you Draco. But I will do what I have to do, despite that. Be careful what you say next because there may be no turning back on this one."

Draco looked at her evenly, and though he spoke just as softly as she, that silky voice told her that he was just as furious as she was. "I love you Princess. But I can't spend every waking moment worrying about you on a battlefield. You are going to be my wife and I am going to have to insist that you obey me this time. Or else you take that ring off your finger."

Ginny looked at him a moment, then back down at her hand. She twisted the ring off her finger and dropped it onto the bed and swiftly left the room, not bothering to look back.


	8. Chapter 8

The air boomed loudly around her. After three months in the field, Ginny didn't even notice the noise caused by the skirmishes anymore. She knew if she looked up from the bandages she was winding up to put away, she would see showers of sparks and the occasional streak of lightening in the sky. This sort of hit and miss battling had been going on for months now with the Death eaters, and still no final conclusion could be reached. No quicker than they put down one band of them, another would sprout up to take its place. Bill was sure they were trying to lull them into complacency. He was determined to not let that happen. He would walk about muttering "We'll be ready when they bring it. We'll be ready."

Ginny sighed as she thought of the irony in the fact that through her quick auror training before she went into the field, she had received letter after angry letter from the Weasley men, and one Potter, telling her she COULD NOT join them in the field. Dumbledore had taken care of it all, quieting them one by one and evidently the way he did it was to assign Ginny to their division. Ginny didn't mind really, she wanted to be close by in case something should happen to one of them, but it made for quite a bit of the old over protectiveness she experienced through out her life with her brothers. Like the insistence that she set up her medical unit a small distance away from the actual soldiers campsite.

"Just a little way Gin." Bill had said. "You'll be close enough to help us, but far enough away where you won't be in the direct line of fire."

Ginny had acquiesced and she had to admit it worked out well. The distance of a few hundred yards allowed them to attend to the wounded without having to scramble to be sure their supplies weren't blown up or burned. Ginny was proud of the fact that they'd saved at least 50 lives in the last three months that would have been lost if they hadn't been there with them. Despite the danger, Ginny knew she had made the right decision. Even if it had cost her Draco.

He'd been consistently stubborn about the whole situation. When Ginny had first approached him to check the condition of the scars on his back, he'd gone willingly enough to the medic tent. He'd lowered his shirt and she had touched his back, poking and prodding, checking for any sign of opening in the wounds. When she'd found none, she'd slid her hand up his back to his shoulder in a provocative gesture. He'd grabbed hand and asked, "Have you decided to go home?"

"No." she'd replied and he'd flung her hand off his shoulder, put his shirt back on and walked out of the tent without even glancing at her. She'd run to her personal tent, and sobbed into her pillow. She'd cried off and on after that, most often at night, when she could hear the music from the harmonica she'd given him at Christmas come drifting over the hill that divided the medical unit from the rest of the division. Some of the tunes would be catchy and fun, but mostly they were Draco's usual style of melancholy. Just to hear him coax music from an instrument again brought back memories that made Ginny's heart ache.

Tonight the music started and it only helped to infuriate her. She'd gone to him today because she'd wanted to check his scars again. He'd refused to even acknowledge her presence. She'd been through this before with him. If he thought that his silent treatment was going to work on her this time, he was in for a surprise. She'd given in all those years ago about telling people about them because she'd been wrong. This time HE was wrong, not her. She would NOT give in. If the prat couldn't get over himself and remember they loved each other, then.... To hell with him!

The haunting tune floated through the air to tug at Ginny's heart again. Despite herself she felt the urge to go to him, to tell him it was going to be alright, as she always did when she sensed his pain in the music like she did tonight. It was as if the git knew it called to her.

When she could stand it no longer, she stood and dumped the last of the bandages into the box in front of her.

"I'm going over to the camp for a few minutes Luna" Ginny said as she passed Luna Lovegood. "Keep an eye on things, will you?"

"Sure Ginny. Tell Neville I said to come see me later." Replied the girl.

Ginny topped the hill and made her way into the camp, following the sound of the harmonica. Draco was sitting to one side of a campfire, playing. Bill, Charlie, and Harry sat close by, listening and talking quietly among themselves. Ginny stopped before Draco, hands on hips, and glared down at him.

"Malfoy, I think you have a visitor." Said Charlie.

Draco ignored Ginny and them, and kept playing.

"Take my advice Malfoy," said Bill, grinning. "When one of the Weasley women gets that look on their face, you'd better just talk to them. Or else."

"I'll bite," said Harry. "Or else what?"

"Or else you're liable to find yourself with a bat bogey hex you can't shake off. But then you'd know something about Ginny's bat bogey hexes, wouldn't you?" Bill said, guffawing.

Draco lowered the harmonica and looked over at the three men hatefully. Then he looked up at Ginny. He sighed and rose. Without a word, he began walking to his tent. Ginny followed.

When they entered the tent, Ginny gave Draco a shove from behind that sent him stumbling to regain his balance. When he turned around to face her she began to pound on his chest with her two small fists. "I am sick of you, you great prat. Do you hear me? I am sick of you. I am NOT going home. I am not. Do you hear me? You're a bastard Malfoy, and I hate you! I hate you!" she half shouted at him as she pummeled him.

Draco withstood the onslaught for a few moments. Then he suddenly grabbed Ginny's wrists and jerked her to him. His mouth came crashing down on hers and Ginny moaned. He released her wrists to wrap his arms around her and draw her even closer. She clawed at his shirt, wanting to touch his bare skin. In a matter of moments, both of them were naked. He lifted her suddenly and Ginny wrapped her legs around his waist. He lowered her to the cot in the tent and fell on top of her. The lovemaking was neither gentle and sweet nor angry and rough. It was desperate and passionate. Months of longing and aching for each other poured out of both of them. They nipped and bit, drawing blood sometimes, tasting each other like they were starving for the other one. Hands touched every part that could be touched, and tongues assaulted each other in search of the sweetness of each other's mouth.

Both of them came together, silent and shuddering. Afterward, both of the lovers sweaty and panting, despite the chill in the air they clung to each other, neither talking, neither being sure just what to say. Draco pulled a blanket over the two of them and in a matter of minutes, both were sleeping peacefully, for the first time in the long months they'd been apart.

As dawn broke the night sky, Ginny woke up and quietly crept off the cot. She dressed quickly and kneeling over the cot, she kissed the blond man's cheek. She smoothed the hair off his forehead and whispered to the sleeping Draco, "I love you Ferret. I don't know that this solved anything for us, but I hope you remember I love you."

Ginny rose and left the tent, making her way back to the medical unit before everyone, a few brothers included, caught her coming out of Draco's tent.

Less than five minutes later, Draco awoke with a bewildering sense of loss. Then he realized that Ginny was gone. He inhaled the scent of her on his pillow for a moment and hugged it to him. Then he got up to start the day.


	9. Chapter 9

The morning started out quietly. Ginny had slipped back into the medical camp and quickly showered and dressed. With thoughts of Draco in her mind, she went about her duties, checking on patients, stocking supplies that the courier had brought, and writing reports. She did one on each patient to send to Madame Pomfrey at the hospital.

Mid morning, as Ginny sat at her makeshift desk, really just a folding table and chair, scribbling away, she heard the first explosion. Over the past few months, they had all gotten used to the fireworks and small booms that the dueling wizards caused, but this one made the earth shake beneath her feet. Before Ginny could get to her feet it was quickly followed by two more of the same intensity.

Running out of the tent, Ginny shouted for the others to move quickly. Most were coming out of tents half dressed, pulling on shoes and cloaks as they ran.

"Quickly everyone. Fill the first aid bags, grab blankets, stretchers, anything we might need. We've got to get over there!" Ginny cried, hurrying to grab her own supplies.

As the group of medi-witches and wizards, nurses and assistants gathered in the middle of the camp, Ginny looked at all of them. "This is a big one folks. Watch your backs. The death eaters aren't going to care if we're soldiers or not. Pay attention to what's going on around you, and don't hesitate to use the auror's training to defend yourself. I don't want to lose anyone today. Ok, lets go."

They made their way over the hill and saw the devastation of the soldiers' campsite. Large chunks of earth were missing from the ground; tents shredded and wounded soldiers lying all around. Immediately Ginny and her team went to work.

As the morning went on, the division seemed to be advancing, leaving behind wounded earth and wounded men, the medical team following behind them to tend to those who needed aid. Ginny lost all track of time and her brain went on automatic as she looked at face after face full of pain, mentally running through injuries, treatments and giving orders to the nurses and assistants around her.

Sometime after the sun had made it's way across the sky and was beginning to set, Ginny and the medical team heard a weak cheer go up from over the next rise. Hurrying to the top of the hill to see what was happening, Ginny was overjoyed to see that it was their side doing the cheering. A moment later she registered the small number of men standing and the larger number lying on the ground and called for the others to come quickly.

Ginny suddenly realized she hadn't seen a single one of her brothers, Harry or Draco all day. Standing up from her kneeling position beside a wounded wizard, she told the medi-wizard approaching her to get him to the camp. Scanning the field for any red or blond hair, or a pair of green eyes with glasses, Ginny sighed in relief as she noted the twin backs of the heads of Fred and George, and a few paces off, the tall figure of Percy. As she continued to look for the others, she heard Luna Lovegood begin to scream.

"Neville! OH Neville!" Luna screamed as she fell to the ground beside Neville Longbottom's still body. "He's dead! He's dead!"

Ginny hurried over to where Neville lay, checking his pulse and breathing. Luna continued to scream and cry.

Turning to Luna, Ginny shook her violently by the shoulders. "Stop it Luna! Stop it now! He's not dead! Do you hear me? He's not dead! But he will be, if you don't snap out of it and get your ass in gear so we can get him to the hospital. He needs immediate attention. Can you get him that Luna? Can you help Neville?"

Luna's sobs were cut off almost immediately. "Yes," she said," I can do that."

"Good, "Ginny smiled at her now. "Get one of the pulley brooms, get him on a stretcher, and go full force to St. Mungo's. Madame Pomfrey will be there. Tell her, listen Luna, this is important, tell her we need help with transportation."

With Luna having something to focus on, Ginny surveyed the area around her again. Too many, she thought. Too many for us to help here, too many for us to transport. We don't have enough brooms. As Luna took off with Neville, Ginny could only hope that she could remember the message and that Poppy Pomfrey would have a solution.

Ginny noticed that there were several dragons and riders down as well as soldiers. Ginny caught a glimpse of red hair and cried, "Charlie!"

Charlie Weasley turned around and jogged to his sister. "Ginny! I'm so glad you're alright. Can you spare us a nurse or two? We've got several wounded riders here."

"Of course Charlie!" she said, calling a couple of nurses as well as a medi witch. "Please see to the riders."

"I don't know what we'll do about the dragons." Charlie said, looking worried. "About ninety percent of them are downed, and we've no way to transport so many back to the barns for treatment."

Ginny considered for a moment. "Charlie?" she asked, "Can you control the dragons? If I send a couple of medi witches or wizards over, can you keep them from getting flamed or injured so they can look at the dragon? I know we're not dragon healers, but I've read enough about magical creature healing to know it's not THAT different."

"That would be great Gin. We're going to lose several if they don't get attention soon." He grinned at his sister.

"Well, I'll be wanting something in return. "Ginny replied. "Once we've seen to the dragons, I'm going to need you to help me transport the soldiers who need to go to the hospital right away. We don't have enough brooms for so many and we've already used all our portkeys."

"The ministry isn't going to like that, Dragons flying right into the city." Charlie said.

"The ministry can go take a flying leap, for all I care, "Said Ginny. "I don't intend to let all these men die. Will you do it?"

Charlie agreed and Ginny hurried away to gather a couple of medi witches she knew had some experience with magical animals. As she discussed treatment options with Lavender Brown and helped her throw some of the larger bandages and salves they had into a bag, Bill came hurrying up to her.

"Bill! I was so worried when I couldn't find you." She cried, then noticed a large gash on his right arm." Are you hurt? Here, let me see."

As she quickly chanted a spell to stem the bleeding, and a pain spell, he said, "Its nothing. Just a scratch. Ginny? Have you seen any of the others?"

"I've seen Fred and George, they took some of the soldiers who weren't hurt to round up death eater stragglers before they could get far. And Percy. He's over at the medical camp, sending owls to the ministry and Dumbledore, to let them know we've defeated the last of the death eaters. Oh it's wonderful Bill. The war is finally over!" said Ginny.

"I wouldn't say that just yet. " Bill replied, his face grim. "We haven't gotten you-know-who yet, and Ginny, I can't find Harry or Ron or Draco!"

"What? What do you mean, you can't find them? Where did they go?" Ginny cried, beginning to panic.

"We got sight of you-know-who in the battle. Harry took off after him. Ron took off after Harry. I have no clue where Draco went. I went after them as quick as I could get away, but I've been searching for an hour now and I can't find them!" Bill said, looking worried.

"Well, we have to find them!" Ginny said. "Which way did they go?"

Bill pointed to the edge of a forest. Ginny started towards it. Bill followed her.

"Listen, we'll never find them this way." He said. "Lets split up. I'll go east, you go west. If you find them shoot a wand flare. I'll come running."

Ginny nodded and began to walk. It got darker and darker in the forest, and Ginny took out her wand, making a small flame flicker at the end of it. She noticed what seemed to be a clearing, and went towards it. At first glance, the clearing seemed to be empty, but as Ginny got closer, she noticed vague shapes, like swiftly moving shadows. As she approached, the shadows became clearer, and finally Ginny could see it was Harry, Ron and Draco. And Voldemort. Ginny rushed forward but was sent backwards into the dirt suddenly. She rose and stuck her hand out carefully. It was some sort of invisible shield. That was the reason that Bill hadn't been able to find them, and that was why she hadn't heard the fighting that was going on.

Ginny stared into the clearing. It was quite a scene. Harry was facing Voldemort, both with their wands pointed at each other. The beams of light from each wand met midway, sparks flying. It looked as though they'd been at it for hours. Ron stood a few feet from Harry, with Draco, dueling with four Death eaters. Ginny noticed the tired looks on all three of their faces. She pointed her wand at the invisible barrier and began chanting every spell she could think of to break it.

As she chanted, she continued watching the action inside the clearing. Suddenly, the beam from Harry's wand began to overtake the beam from Voldemort. Then quite suddenly, Voldemort fell to his knees, his wand falling to the ground. A second later, Harry's beam touched him. The figure of Voldemort seemed to melt away. What was left was a puddle of some black muck that steamed and fumed. Harry collapsed onto the ground, unconscious. Suddenly three dementors swooped in from seemingly mid air on Harry. Ron, seeing what was happening, turned from the two Death eaters still standing, and yelled "Harry!" Ginny heard him bellow the patronus spell and a large flowing white weasel took to the air and swooped in on the dementors. After what seemed like hours, but was only seconds, two of the dementors suddenly floated away. Ron stumbled then, and lost the focus on the spell. The weasel dissipated. And there was one dementor left. But Ginny could see Ron had no more in him. She sped up her chanting. She had to get into that clearing! Draco put down the last two Death eaters and turned to Ron just as the last dementor was lifting his chin up to apply the kiss. Ginny heard Draco chant the patronus spell and saw the dragon leap from his wand. The dementor didn't even put up a fight. It just left. Draco walked slowly toward Ron. Then a figure stepped out from behind a boulder to the side of the clearing. Ginny gasped as she recognized Lucius Malfoy.

"Father." Draco sneered, facing Lucius.

"Time to end this boy, "said Lucius, and identical sneer on his face. "You've embarrassed me enough. No son of mine shall disobey and shame the Malfoy name such as this and live."

Lucius raised his wand and Ginny saw the Cruciatus curse send Draco falling to the ground. He writhed in pain when Lucius chanted the curse again, intensifying its effect. Then she saw Draco grow still.

'Dear God, don't let him be dead' she thought. Then suddenly, the barrier was gone. Ginny rushed into the clearing, and without a thought, put herself between Draco and Lucius.

"Let him go!" she cried.

"Girl, you have caused me more grief than such a tiny thing as you should be able to do. Look at what you've caused. "He said, gesturing at Draco behind her. "I've had to destroy my own son, my own blood, because of you."

And whether it was because he didn't think she was brave enough, or he didn't think she was clever enough, Lucius Malfoy's face registered surprise when Ginny raised her wand. He never even lifted his when she chanted "Adavra Kedavra."

She stared momentarily at the dead body of Lucius Malfoy on the ground and thought, 'I've killed.' Somehow it didn't feel like she thought it would. There was no horror at the life she'd taken, no guilt. But there was no triumph or satisfaction either. There was only empty numbness.

Then she turned and ran to Draco. Giving in to the need that she had berated Luna Lovegood for earlier that day, Ginny fell to her knees over the still form of Draco Malfoy and began to wail.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hermione, we have to do it!"

"But Ginny, we don't know what effect it will have on him."

"It doesn't matter. If we don't do it, he's got no chance at all of being more than a vegetable lying in this bed."

"Not yet Ginny. Let's wait a while longer."

Pain. Darkness.

"Draco? Can you hear me? I love you Draco, please come back to me."

A feeling of floating. Darkness again.

"Narcissa, you have to know what I did."

"I do know dear. You killed him."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. He would have killed you. And he almost did kill my son."

Killed who? Sudden stabbing pain. Oh, make it go away! Drifting back into the inky black depths.

"Now Hermione."

"Are you sure Ginny?"

"Yes, I am. It's the only chance he's got."

Draco awoke to blinding light. 'My God' he thought, 'when did the sun get so bright.' As his eyes adjusted he looked around. He wasn't in his tent. He wasn't in the field. He was in a bed in a sterile looking white room. There was a strange woman in a nurse's robes dozing in a chair beside him.

Suddenly he remembered. Being in the clearing with Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. Voldemort and Death eaters. Potter crumpling to the ground. Dementors. Ron Weasley falling. Then...his father. He remembered falling to the ground in pain and Ginny coming running into the clearing. Standing between him and his father. His father saying he was going to kill them both. Ginny! Oh Dear God! Where was Ginny?

Sitting up abruptly, he winced at the sharp pain that went through his head. "GINNY!" he bellowed. "GINNY!"

The nurse beside him jumped up from her slumber. "Mr. Malfoy, your awake! We've been so worried-"

She stopped abruptly as Draco swung his legs over the side of the bed, sliding to the edge to rise.

"Oh no, Mr. Malfoy! You can't get up. Not yet! Please-"

"Get off me!" he snapped at the nurse, pushing her roughly away from him when she tried to bustle him back into the bed.

The nurse ran out the door as Draco put his bare feet on the cold floor of the hospital room. He stood momentarily, and swayed with the wave of dizziness and nausea that washed over him. He reached his hand out to the bed to steady himself. If he were hurt this bad, he could only imagine what had happened to Ginny. He prayed she wasn't dead.

The nurse returned with two large orderlies. "Mr. Malfoy, you have to go back to bed sir. You've been very ill. You're only going to make yourself worse if you try to get up. Don't make me force you sir." Said one of the orderlies, looking quite large enough to do it.

"I wouldn't try that if I were you." Draco said, glaring at him. "I want to know where medi-witch Ginny Weasley is. I want to know right now!"

The burly orderlies ignored his tirade and advanced on him. As they dragged him back to his bed, he struggled, but his efforts were weak, and he could do no more than continue to shout, "GINNY! GINNY!"

Down the hall, a nurse rushed into the small rest area where Ginny was sleeping on a cot.

"Medi-witch Weasley-"she started then stopped seeing Ginny was already up and pulling on her robes.

"Yes Coral, I hear him. I'm coming!" Ginny said, brushing past the nurse and running down the hall as a voice bellowed out once again.

"GINNY!"

Flinging the door to Draco's room open, Ginny flew into the room as the two large orderlies lifted Draco forcibly back into the bed.

"Draco! Draco! Calm down, I'm here! I'm here!" she said pushing past the men to the one in the bed.

Draco felt his heart rate slow down. She was standing in front of him. She was alive. She wrapped her arms around his head and pulled it to her chest.

"Ginny, oh dear God, I thought you might be dead. I remembered Father, and you standing there. He didn't hurt you did he?" he said, muffled against her breasts.

"No, he didn't hurt me. He hurt you though. Very badly. We didn't know if you were going to make it back to the land of the living or not." She said, kissing the top of his head while thinking, oh thank you, thank you, thank you God.

Draco raised his head and looked at her. "What about the others? Ron? Potter?"

"Ron was fine. Just exhausted. You saved his life Draco. Another second and that dementor would have had him. Hermione is so grateful. She's been here everyday, trying to help you get well. She wants you to be the baby's godfather." Ginny said, smiling. "Harry's ok too. He had to stay in the hospital a few days, but he's out now."

"A few days? How long have I been out? A week?" he frowned when Ginny just looked at him. "Two? Three? How long?"

"Draco, you've been in a coma for three months." She said.

Draco looked at her incredulously. "Three months! You mean I've missed the trial?"

"What trial?"

"Well Father's of course! I know they didn't just let him go. Not after that final battle he masterminded. Did they send him to Azkaban? Is mother ok?" Draco fired off at her.

"Draco, "she said, taking his hand. "I don't know how to tell you this.... Your father is dead."

"Dead? What happened? Who killed him?" he asked.

Ginny bit her lip. "I killed him Draco. He was standing there, hurting you. He wouldn't stop. He was going to kill you. He told me so. And then he was going to kill me. So I threw an unforgivable at him. It was all I could do. You were lying there on the ground... and I thought you were already dead..." she said, hiding her face in her hands.

"Tell me what happened?" he asked.

"Well, I'd been out on the field tending to the wounded when Bill came to me and told me he couldn't find you or Ron or Harry. I went looking. You know what happened to you. I came up just before Harry defeated Voldemort. I couldn't break though the barrier that had been put up at first. When I finally got through, Lucius already had you in the Cruciatus curse, and I stepped between you. I don't think he thought I actually had the guts to do anything, or else I'd have never had a chance. Then after.... I thought you were dead and I succumbed to a fit of hysterics. "She looked a bit shamefaced but went on, "Bill heard me and came running. When he saw you all lying there, he took off back to the field. Poppy Pomfrey had gotten my message that we needed help and He came back with Cho Chang and two other couriers. They flew you back here, to St Mungo's. The ministry called me on the carpet, for sending all the wounded in like that, on broomstick and dragon, with no cloaking spells. Fortunately Poppy stood up for me, and of all people, Snape. They're still trying to catch up with all the muggles that saw that day."

Draco looked at her in amazement. This small red haired woman, the gentlest person he knew, had mustered up the strength to face Lucius Malfoy. For him. She had risked her life, rushing to stand between him and certain death and face it herself. After he had given her the silent treatment for months because she wouldn't obey him. Draco felt as he often felt, that he didn't deserve this woman's love. He crushed her to him.

Stroking her hair he said. "I'm sorry Ginny. You shouldn't have had to go through that. I am so sorry."

Ginny took her hands away from her face and wound her arms around Draco's neck. "Why are you sorry. I should be telling you how sorry I am for killing you're father. I'm sorry Draco. I wish I hadn't had to."

"No! Don't you be sorry. You've saved my life. You've given me a chance to live. If you hadn't killed him, he'd have killed me, and then you too. Don't be sorry Ginny."

"But he was still you're father." She said.

"My father went away a long time ago. I don't know who the man that was left was." Draco said.

"You're mother said the same thing." Ginny replied.

"Mother? Is she alright. I've been so worried about her. I haven't heard anything since we went in the field." Draco asked.

"She's fine. You're father found some way to confine her to the manor. When I...when he died, the spell broke and she came straight here. She's only just left earlier tonight. She'll be back in the morning. She's been here everyday, just like Hermione, and Harry, and Bill, and Professor Snape, all checking on you, waiting for you to wake up. Even Ron has come by Draco." Ginny said, grinning.

"I guess a bloke only has to almost die for him to thaw a bit, aye?"

Ginny grinned again and told him, "He says he still doesn't like you but he won't object if you live."

Draco chuckled, and then winced. "Ow. It hurts to laugh."

Ginny got up and went to the table beside the bed. "That's because you've been sleeping for so long. And the best way to cure it is to go back to sleep. Only this time, you'll wake up in a few hours instead of a few months. Here, take this."

He took the foul smelling concoction she handed him and complained. "I don't want to go back to sleep. I've been sleeping! I want to know what I've missed!" but he swallowed the potion, which tasted just as foul as it smelled, anyway.

As he settled back in the bed, he beckoned Ginny close and held up the blanket. "Stay with me?"

Ginny climbed in beside him willingly. "Just wait till you find out what Hermione and I have done to you while you've been sleeping. The perfect Guinea Pig you were."

Groggily Draco said. "Don't tell me you let that mudblood use muggle medicine on me while I was defenseless."

"Ok, I won't tell you." Ginny chuckled.

"I love you Princess." He said, curling up to her back, relishing her warmth.

"I love you knight." She said.

"Mmmm, say it again please." He said, burying his face in her hair.

"I love you, I love you, I love you.... Draco? Are you asleep?"


	11. Epilogue

Draco led Ginny into the restaurant and the maitre de led them to a private table near the piano. After their meal Draco said, "I've got a surprise for you."

"What?" Ginny asked smiling questioningly.

"Remember when you told me to write you a song last Christmas?" he said, rising from his chair and taking her hand, leading her over to the piano.

"Oh Draco. I wasn't serious. I know you don't like singing to your music." She said as she sat down in the seat he pulled out for her at the piano.

"Usually, you're right. But this time, I think I found just the right words for the music." He said. "Just listen."

He sat down at the piano bench that the restaurant's employee vacated for him. The tune he began to play was soft and sweet and touching, as it always was to Ginny when Draco played especially for her. Then he began to sing, his voice mellow and slightly raspy, but clear and in tune. Draco didn't have a beautiful voice, but something about it was soothing and magical.

Baby there's something on my mind tonight  
There's a reason to believe we almost got it right  
There's a fire burning in the firelight  
As we roll on tonight  
  
There's paper promises and alibis  
There is certainly uncertainty in all our eyes  
But as long as you are here I'll be all right  
As we roll on tonight  
  
So you go out...I'll go on  
If there's a doubt...we'll be strong  
As we go on singing  
One more for love my love  
One more for love...  
  
There's always blood to fill the heart betrayed  
There are children being born to every house that's raised  
And we're getting closer to where we got it made  
As we roll on tonight  
  
So you go out...I'll go on  
If there's a doubt...we'll be strong  
As we go on singing  
One more for love my love  
One more for love...  
  
I'm never going to wait for anything  
Never going to break for anything  
Cause I am one more for love my love  
One more for love  
One more for love my love  
  
Baby there's something on my mind tonight  
There's a reason to believe that we got it right  
And all and all you're all that's on my mind tonight As we roll on...  
  
One more for love my love  
One more for love

The song ended and Ginny smiled as she looked into the eyes of the blond man smiling back at her.

"That was beautiful Draco." She said.

"Just one more thing. "he said, reaching into his pocket.

"Yes?"

"I think this needs to be back on your finger where it belongs." He placed the large familiar emerald on the piano in front of her.

Ginny picked up her ring and put it back on her finger. "I love you Knight."

He swept her up into his arms and said, "I love you Princess." And as he kissed her, the entire restaurant cheered.

_a/n:I know some of you were expecting Ginny and Draco to get married in this one. Sorry! I thought they would too, but it just didn't happen in this story. Maybe there's another one coming? I will be posting some companion stories to this one and PITD soon. They will be about the other characters in these two stories, but I'm not saying who, it would spoil the surprise._

_If anyone is interested in the song at the end of chapter 10: It is sung by John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting. The song in this story is called One More For Love, on the album Battle For Everything. His voice and music are essentially the voice and music of Draco, and will be from here on out in the other stories in this series. When I hear him I immediately think of my idea of Draco. _


End file.
